How to Sell Something on Craigslist Safely

I’m sure that most of you have heard of Craigslist. Just in case you don’t know what Craigslist is, I’ll give you a brief overview. Craigslist is a classifieds site where you can look for jobs, sell things, and find other services. At times people are up in the air when it comes to if they should sell things on Craigslist. Unfortunately, Craigslist is in the news once in a while because of robberies. I want to stress to you that in my opinion, Craigslist is safe. You just have to have common sense when you’re selling stuff. I’ve sold a few items including my old car on the site over the years. I’ve never had a problem. Today, I want to go over some ways that you can sell something on Craigslist safely.

Review your messages carefully

When someone wants to buy an item from you on Craigslist, they will send you a message. Take the time to review each message carefully. Sometimes people don’t really want to buy something from you. They just want to troll you. Sometimes people will send you a lowball offer. If you receive any message that just seems off, ignore it and move on to the next one.

Never meet at someone’s house

Sometimes a potential buyer may want you to bring the item to them. That’s not something that I’d consider doing at all. You don’t know what the hell you could be getting yourself into. I’m the type of person that would rather be safe than sorry. In 2017, you can’t afford not to be safe. There are some crazy folks out there.

Safe Locations

Always meet up at a safe, secure place. I’ve met up with buyers at the post office and gas stations. There are a lot of people at both locations. Some other safe places are store parking lots, the mall and police stations.

Consider what items to sell

Even though I believe that Craigslist is a safe place to sell items, there are some things that I will never sell on there. I won’t sell electronics or tennis shoes on the site. I feel better selling them on eBay. The few times that I hear about Craigslist robberies, it’s because people are trying to take people’s phones or Jordan shoes. That’s enough to deter me from selling them.

Let someone know where you’re going

When you’re going to sell an item, let someone know where you’re going. Again, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you really want to make sure that nothing happens, bring someone else with you. Having another person with you can calm any possible nerves that you have.

Don’t allow people to get items from your house*

I put an asterisk next to this one. Earlier, I said that it’s not wise to drop something off at someone else’s house. In most cases, you shouldn’t invite anyone to your home either. The only reason that you might consider doing that is if you are selling an old car that needs work or a big appliance like a refrigerator. In those cases, you may not have a trailer or truck to meet up with the buyer. They will have no choice but to come to your place.

Complete transactions in the daytime

The final tip could have been the first tip. You should complete your transactions during the daytime. You’re putting yourself in a lot of risks if you decide to meet a buyer at night. Don’t do it even if you need the money. Only schedule your meetings during the day.

If you’ve been on the fence when it comes to selling on Craigslist, do it. Make sure that you use the tips that I discussed above. If you do that, you should have no problems.

I used to sell stuff on Craigslist all the time when I was regularly entering giveaways. It can be easier for some than others depending on where you live. I was able to meet at the library/coffee shop near us where there was more public and outdoor space that made it really easy. It worked out well for everyone involved as there were a lot of people around and neither party had to have someone come to their house.DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted…How to Find Money in Your Budget

Meeting somewhere other than your home is a good tip. I think it depends on what you’re selling though. My wife sold some wicker baskets on craigslist. Having someone come to purchase two wicker baskets doesn’t bother me.

For high value transactions some cities have setup safe exchanges. Usually well lit, has multiple video cameras and is typically outside a police station. These places are great when your item is a bit more valuable than our old wicker basket.